Characterization of Spheno-occipital Synchondrosis Fusion From Preadolescents to Young Adults Using Age and Cervical Vertebrae Maturation Index

Sun-Min Kim; Sungmi Jeon; Hyunseung Hong; Jeong-Ho Choi; Jong-Wan Kim; Jee Hyeok Chung; Il-Hyung Yang; Byung Jun Kim; Seung-Hak Baek

doi:10.1097/SCS.0000000000009814

Characterization of Spheno-occipital Synchondrosis Fusion From Preadolescents to Young Adults Using Age and Cervical Vertebrae Maturation Index

J Craniofac Surg. 2023 Nov 8. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000009814. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sun-Min Kim¹, Sungmi Jeon², Hyunseung Hong¹, Jeong-Ho Choi³, Jong-Wan Kim⁴, Jee Hyeok Chung⁵, Il-Hyung Yang⁶, Byung Jun Kim⁷, Seung-Hak Baek⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul.
² Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul.
³ Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University and Private Clinic, Smile Future Orthodontics, Seoul.
⁴ Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University and Private Clinic, Good Face Dental Clinic, Sungnamsi, Gyungido.
⁵ Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Children Hospital, Seoul.
⁶ Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University.
⁷ Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul.
⁸ Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

PMID: 37938056
DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000009814

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize the spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion (SOSF) from preadolescents to young adults. A total of 630 Korean subjects (308 men, 322 women; age range, 6-18 y) were divided into 26 groups according to sex and age. After 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) images were reoriented using the Frankfort horizontal (FH) plane, mid-sagittal plane, and frontal plane via ON3D software (3DONS), the cervical vertebrae maturation index (CVMI) and SOSF stages were identified using 6-stage and 5-stage scoring systems, respectively. The distributions of stage in each group were statistically investigated. Women showed early appearance and a short range of onset (CVMI stage 2, SOSF stage 2), middle (CVMI stage 4, SOSF stage 3 and stage 4), and completion (CVMI stage 6, SOSF stage 5), indicating rapid skeletal maturation compared with men. In both males and females, there were strong positive correlations between age and CVMI stage (rs=0.902, rs=0.890), between age and SOSF stage (rs=0.887, rs=0.885), and between CVMI and SOSF stages (rs=0.955, rs=0.964) (all P<0.001). The mean ages at SOSF stage 3 and stage 4 (12.7~13.9 y in males and 11.0~12.5 y in females) could be used as indicators of the pubertal growth peak. Regression equations for SOSF stage (y), age (a), and CVMI stage (b) were as follows: y=1.355-(0.133×a)+(0.29007×b)+(0.041×a×b) for males (r2=0.9496); y=1.305-(0.158×a)+(0.455×b)+(0.036×a×b) for females (r2=0.9606). Ordinal logistic regression analyses with the proportional odds model showed that females had more advanced SOSF stages than males (odds ratio: 1.972; 95% CI: 1.063-3.658, P<0.05). Our findings may provide basic references for CVMI and SOSF from preadolescents to young adults.